Dallas Eakins, the current Edmonton Oilers’ coach and Tampa’s Jon Cooper, who could have been behind the Edmonton bench when he was the flavour of the day in the spring of 2012, will square off Thursday night.

Eakins and Cooper matched wits and hockey teams for several years in the American League when Eakins was the Maple Leafs’ farm coach and Cooper was looking after the Lightning’s AHL prospects. Eakins waited another year for his NHL shot while Cooper got the Lightning job late last season when Guy Boucher was fired with a year and a bit left on his four-year deal.

“I knew for sure Coop would be there (NHL)…he’s a really good coach and it’s a great story how he got started in coaching, leaving his law firm. He’s had great success everywhere,” said Eakins.

Cooper, who played hockey in Wilcox, Sask. as a teenager, then got his law degree and coached high school, junior B, midget (Detroit Honeybaked) and gave up his law practice (he represented indigent clients making about $1000 a month for a time) to coach junior in Texarkana in the North American Hockey League, was romanced by the Oilers before Ralph Krueger got the job. He also was in the running in Washington before Adam Oates got the Caps head job in the summer of 2012.

“I’ve gotten to know Coop a little over the last couple of years, first having lunch with him at the American League all-star game. We shared stories and how we handle players. I’m extremely proud of Coop,” said Eakins.

Cooper thinks the same of Eakins, who got a four-year Oiler contract this past spring.

“You pull for guys when you’ve come up together, although Dallas played (pro) and I didn’t. That separates us,” said Cooper. “But he was a lot of fun to coach against (Cooper was in Norfolk, then Syracuse). We had some good battles. When he got the Oilers’ job I was really happy for him.”

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Cooper’s associate coach Rick Bowness, the long-time right-hand man of Alain Vigneault in Vancouver, was also in the picture with the Oilers to work with Eakins, before he brought on Keith Acton. “Unreal human being. He’s seen it all. He’s taught me about the NHL. I’d been a head coach at every level but I’m a rookie at the NHL He’s opened my eyes, being in the room and listening to his hockey knowledge.” Bowness replaces the late Wayne Fleming, who passed away of brain cancer, as the older NHL coaching veteran on staff.

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Call-up defenceman Philip Larsen, who played the point on the powerplay, had a strong game against Florida Tuesday and earned praise from Eakinsfor his coolness under fire and his defensive work…Oilers’ defenceman Justin Schultz (groin) skated by himself before practice Monday, so he’s out for the Tampa game. Anton Belov (knee) worked out with fitness guy Chad Drummond, and never hit the ice. As we’ve said, Taylor Hall will likely play in Philly on Saturday afternoon, maybe with winger Jesse Joensuu (ribs)…The Oiler defencemen were pounding pucks that were standing on end at goalie Devan Dubnyk in practice to try and simulate the puck that suddenly curved and beat him in the last minute in Florida.

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